Sunday, November 30, 2014

The Top 10 Best Wordpress Themes for 2015

The Top 10 Best Wordpress Themes for 2015

Top 10 Wordpress Themes
Top 10 Wordpress Themes

As it turns out every year designers seek new Wordpress themes in the market place to check out & vote on. Sites such as Themeforest which I am pretty familiar having the best templates for all cms platforms including the well known was Wordpress. I look at the top themes everyone once in a while to see which is the best, this year I am anxious to see which themese take 2015. Which Wordpress Themes will take the top 10 spots as being the best Themes for 2015. Wordpress has thousands of themes so it will be a tight vote.

WordpressThemes2015.com

If you haven't already head on over to Wordpress themes 2015.com to check out the top 25 Wordpress themes as we enter into the new year. The site touches on several things that have to do with Wordpress Themes such as the themes themselves plus how each theme is unique & how every theme is different than the next.

"First of all, no theme is the same. The premium WordPress themes usually go further and have several more options implemented, such as a retina ready interface and integrated SEO. Most of these WordPress website templates also offer features like WooCommerce, which can become very useful to people who run an online shop of any kind." - Wordpresstheme2015.com

You can find more information about this topic on http://wordpressthemes2015.com


Need a Wordpress developed site? Got to my website Sacramento SEO and Web Development
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Thursday, November 13, 2014

Wordpress Releases New Blogging U Ebooks

Wordpress Releases New Blogging U Ebooks

Wordpress Blogging U Books
Wordpress Blogging Ebooks
Recently Wordpress came out with real time online courses titled writing 101 & writing 201 which were a huge success apparently. Wordpress just announced that both courses are free for download. Each ebook has something unique to offer the reader for example:

Writing 101: Build a Blogging Habit was initially designed as a four-week course. It includes 20 writing prompts, each with its own (optional) twist to push your writing in new directions, from improving your descriptions to thinking about voice and pace. In ebook form, now you can follow the course at your own rhythm and in any order you wish.


Writing 201: Finding Your Story, an intensive four-part course, focuses on editing your unpolished or unfinished drafts into compelling narratives. Loaded with advice and practical tips, this ebook will help you hone some fundamental storytelling skills, like creating powerful openings and writing engaging scenes.

You can find more information about this topic on Wordpress official website Wordpress.com


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@SacSEOandWebdev

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Will Polls help or hurt Google plus?

Will Polls help or hurt Google plus?

Google Plus Polls
Google plus + Polls
In spite of the fact that this subject is old (by simply a couple of weeks) I feel I ought to approach it as though the news simply broke yesterday. Will polls help or hurt Google plus, like it's competitors Facebook & Twitter, Google plus is continually progressing and transforming its platform. Rolling out improvements from small to large on what would appear to be a quarterly scale as the year progresses. Truth be told I recall when Google changed the design of Google plus and how upset I was when I first logged in. In spite of the fact that this is simply a tiny new feature I feel this could potentially put Google on the track to having users getting irritated with it. If I could have a chat with Larry Page I would tell him to ease off a bit before executing any more features... or not to make changes at all. I'm very much into continuity :)
But now on to the real start of show, Google Polls.

So, how does Google polls work?

Well first, there is the process of creating a poll. When you create a poll, you can include up to five responses for people to choose from. You can also add photos to help explain each choice.

Editing polls: You can edit the text of your question after you ask it, but there's no way to change the choices or photos. You also can't close a poll after you start it. But if you really want to take down your poll, learn to delete your post.

Adding photos: You can upload a photo from your desktop or device camera roll, pick a photo from your Google+ Photos albums, or find an image using Google Image Search. If you upload photos or select images using Google Image Search, we'll automatically create a private Google+ Photos album with those photos. Only you can see this private photo album, unless you share the URL of the album with someone else.

Deleting photos: If you delete a photo in this private, polls photo album, it will remove the photo from the poll itself.

Sharing polls: We want to make sure the results of private polls aren't shared publicly, which is why you can only reshare public polls. Also, if you reshare a public poll, you'll need to share it publicly -- you can't share it with particular circles or people.

Voting In a Poll

If someone creates a poll on Google+, you can respond to let them know what you think. If you don't want to formally vote, you can also leave a comment or +1 the post.


Credit for poll information goes to:  https://support.google.com/plus/answer/6089358?hl=en
http://sacramentoseoandwebdevelopment.com 

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Marvel The Avengers Age of Ultron Official trailer on Youtube

Marvel The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron Official trailer on Youtube

Marvel the Avengers 2 Age of Ultron
Marvel Avengers 2: Age of Ultron

In the event that you have been tuning in on youtube recently you may have stumbled on The official trailer for "The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron" which has was released a couple days ago. Furthermore what an excellent debut it made. Granted, the trailer was released a few days before schedule but there's nothing wrong with giving the people what they want... even if it is before schedule. The trailer shows your most loved superheroes The mind blowing Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, & Hawk Eye, and another character whom I'm not familiar but will make her presentation. With the cold, unfeeling machine Super villian Ultron leading as the main antagonist in this movie. If your like many your probably unfamiliar with this character, dont fret there are numerous sites and most prominent wikipedia where you can take in more about Ultron & his motivation for assaulting the Avengers. What i'm most impressed about is 3 days after the trailer launched the video generated over 35 million views!  I couldn't believe my eyes, but then again I guess I shouldn't be surprised, I mean come on, it's the avengers 2!

This is the end of the path I started us on...

My initial reaction of the trailer, I was in awe! From the beginning I wasn't certain it was a genuine trailer. Most individuals like to alter and make their own particular variant of an upcoming movie trailer. Once I saw it, I knew this was the real deal. In the beginning it shows people running and "everyone screaming for mercy" with the avengers appearing to be struggling against an enemy they which they have never gone up against. At one point in the trailer it appears the Avengers have been beaten perhaps? Around 35 seconds into the trailer you see what resembles one of Iron Mans suits exiting of a space (all alone) addressing the Avengers, addressing humankind about their shortcoming as people (tangled in strings). As I kept viewing It also appears the Avengers are all experiencing their own particular problems, thor drops his hammer, the hulk appears to be wandering aimlessly through a forest, and even Captain America seems to be looking for something. Not long after I heard Tony Stark (Iron Man) say "It's the end...The end of the path I started us on" and in my brain I'm saying NOOO, this cant be the end, you guys have not even fought Thanos yet!!!

No Spoilers for the Avengers 2

Marvel the Avengers 2 Age of Ultron
Iron Man "Hulk Buster" vs The Incredible Hulk

 

If you have not seen the trailer I will not spoil it entirely, but I will say it gets you hyped for next summer! There are so many questions that need to be addressed and as someone who is a fan of marvel characters I'm dieing to see what happens in this film.

Social media and buzz following The Avengers 2

Reaching over 35 million views on a youtube video is a major feat (in my humble opinion) but to obtain this many views in only 3 days!? that is on an entirely different level in itself. The number of shares, likes, and recommendations that would have had to take place must have been mind blowing, and I'm sure the internet is still exploding with shares on Facebook, Twitter, & Google plus (+) as I type this post. This goes to show you the power of Social Media sharing and how quick quality content can take off.

If you haven't already seen the trailer for "The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron" I will put a link below for you to click on and watch. It's a little more than 2 minutes of action and suspense, and in my opinion worth every nanosecond. I just hope Marvel keeps it up when they make The Avengers 3.
Marvel's "Avengers: Age of Ultron" - Teaser Trailer (OFFICIAL)

Go to Sacramento SEO and Web Development on how I can help you manage your Social Media sharing

Monday, September 29, 2014

A picture is Worth 1000 words, but a Video is Priceless

A picture is Worth 1000 words, but a Video is Priceless

are videos better than pictures
are videos better than pictures
In the same way as other individuals,  I utilize pictures within my websites to help paint a picture and give a thought in respect to what the theme I will discuss. We are all familiar with the saying "A picture is worth 1,000 words" and everyone by now is mindful of how powerful multimedia is. Pictures are commonly used to savor times with loved ones and friends, in order to capture those Kodak moments in our life. Well, if pictures are worth 1,000 words, then video's must be priceless!

Pictures or Videos?

I've wondered to myself many times paper or plastic? what's more its never been a simple decision, each has its own pro's and con's, the same could be said in regards to whether to pick between Images or Videos.. Although both can be used simultaneously, there are still the individuals who ask, Is one superior to the next? Again pro's & con's, depending upon what the circumstances calls for.  For instance, photographs may be more qualified for an E-commerce site where you might want to quickly navigate through to view an item. While Videos may be used for landing sites etc. Below I have listed reasons why you should use Images (Pictures) & Videos in your blogs.


The Reasons for Images


If you have an online store, issue press releases or even just have a Facebook business “page”, then here are 6 reasons to publish images and photos as part of your business marketing tactics.
  1. Articles with images get 94% more total views
  2. Including a Photo and a video in a press release increases views by over 45%
  3. 60% of consumers are more likely to consider or contact a business when an image shows up in local search results
  4. In an ecommerce site, 67% of consumers say the quality of a product image is “very important” in selecting and purchasing a product
  5. In an online store, customers think that the quality of a products image is more important than product-specific information (63%), a long description (54%) and ratings and reviews (53%)
  6. Engagement rate on Facebook for photos averages 0.37% where text only is 0.27% (this translates to a 37% higher level of engagement for photos over text)

The Reasons for Videos

Reason #1 – You Need Google to Love You!

Google owns YouTube and you need Google to love you!  If you haven’t noticed already, Google is very important to your business. If Google likes your site and sees that you are utilizing their tools, then your page will move up in search engine optimization.


Reason #2 – Your Clients Want to See You and Your Personality

This is important because your personality doesn’t always come through in writing like it does in a video. Clients want to connect.  They want to know you are human and that you have empathy. What better way to show potential clients that than in a video on your blog?

Reason #3 –  Videos Allow for Visual Diversity

Some people don’t want to read blogs . . . . They can be boring or too long or look intimating.  By adding a funny video or quick clip, you are creating visual diversity on your blog.

Reason #4 – Adding Videos to Your Blog is Easy

Once you get past your anxiety, it just takes 5 minutes of video time and 5 minutes of editing or adding an introduction if you want to do that.  There is no proof reading, no links to other posts or websites, etc..

Reason #5 – Videos Increase Social Media Validity

If you use social media, videos will increase traffic to your website. When you create a video, post it to your YouTube channel first, then embed it into your blog or website.  That allows people to watch your video from your own site rather than having to send them a link to YouTube.  Behind the scenes, YouTube is transcribing every word you say, so it again adds to your search engine optimization. Remember to include (and speak) your keywords.

Credit  for Reasons to use video go to "All things private practice"
Credit for Reasons to use Photo go to " 6 powerful reasons Why you should include images in marketing"


Visit Sac SEO and Web Development for more information on Video's, Blogging, & SEO tips!

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Heal the World, One Social Media Post at a Time

Heal the World, One Social Media Post at a Time

Social Media influence on the World 
Heal the World
Nowadays, Social Media is apart of our everyday life. Continually notifying our friends & followers of our every move throughout the day. Of course, just a decade ago things were not as they are today. Social networking just began making a name for itself with Friendster & Myspace expanding out & connecting people around the world. In, short Social Media has made a ton of progress from just a few million users to Facebook & their 1.1 billion users online. It makes me wonder, how far will Social Media go?, & what's next after the Social Media trend craze has ended? Whats more is how social media is being used in 2014

How is Social Media utilized today?

Simply take a gander at your timeline, whether it be Facebook or Twitter there is both positive & negative news. In the past, the news predominantly demonstrated what was occurring on our TV sets, most with a set time schedule depending upon where you live. Before that, by newspaper which took considerable time to reach people's homes. Be that as it may, in today's world not only does the news stream on our computer screen, but it also covers a larger audience in shorter time. One essential thing about Social Media, that people tend to often over look is that it gives  the law an edge over crime.

" Police departments are increasingly embracing the idea of using social media sites, such as Facebook, for everything from soliciting crime tips to sharing safety-related information and improving community relations. The sites can give law enforcement an additional way to disseminate information quickly and to interact with the public. " ~ http://www.securitymanagement.com

I support the idea, police utilizing Social Media to help clean up the streets. If Facebook can help locate a killer, or missing person then more power to them. It's impossible for me to count just how many times I've come across a post on my timeline mentioning a lost child & it going viral! Were not talking local, this is focused around your friends list so realistically is going world wide. We as humans are literally healing the world, one Social Media post at a time. It's truly an amazing thing.

Go to Sacramento SEO and Web Development for more news on Social Media

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Social Media Trend "The Rock will play Black Atom"

"The Rock will play Black Atom"



It has been announced & I am officially excited about one of the hottest trending topics on social media & Google, the Rock has confirmed that he will play "Black Adam"! For those of you unfamiliar with the comic supervillian, Black Adam was a corrupted, ancient Egyptian predecessor of Captain Marvel, who fought his way to modern times to challenge the hero and his Marvel Family associates.

Black Adam is an ancient Egyptian prince named Teth-Adam (i.e., "Mighty Human"), who is chosen by the wizard Shazam to be his successor due to his presumed moral purity. When Teth-Adam says the magic word "Shazam", he is transformed into a super-powered being possessing the same powers that Captain Marvel would later be granted; however, Mighty Adam is soon corrupted by the vastness of his powers. Originally, the wizard Shazam grants Adam powers derived from ancient Greco-Roman deities; later in the series, it was changed to ancient Egyptian deities.


According to Newsarama.com it has been confirmed Dwayne Johnson aka "The Rock" will play the notorious supervillian Black Adam. They describe the character as "more of an anti-hero trying to clear his name than a villain." In this coming film, Adam To many Comic book heads, this is major news as most of us have been praying for a Black Adam movie. I'm looking forward to more news on this topic, you can read more about Black Adamn @ http://www.newsarama.com/22050-black-adam-a-bad-assery-why-the-rock-chose-well.html


Visit Sacramento SEO and Web Development for more Social Media News

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Trending Hashtags in 2014

Trending Hashtags in 2014

Hashtags trending in 2014
Hashtags trending in 2014

Hashtags, I just recently began using these nifty little pieces of data when sharing my post. At first, I did not understand the rave, and why people where including them in every post and article in their blog. By definition Hashtag is a word or an unspaced phrase prefixed with the number sign ("#"). The cool thing about hashtags is that anybody (and everybody) can utilize them as a part of their post. One primary motivation to utilize hashtags is to be apart of mainstream trends that are occurring in today's general public. Wouldn't you like to know whats inclining on Twitter before the majority of your friends & followers?

Hashtags.org Analytics can tell you which hashtags are trending, faster and more accurately than any other service available today.

What’s Trending on Twitter?

Trending topics are those topics being discussed more than others. As Twitter explains trending topics, “Twitter Trends are automatically generated by an algorithm that attempts to identify topics that are being talked about more right now than they were previously. The Trends list is designed to help people discover the ‘most breaking’ breaking news from across the world, in real-time. The Trends list captures the hottest emerging topics, not just what’s most popular.”


What’s Trending on Twitter Right Now?

According to Hashtags.org’s proprietary trending algorithm, here are the top 40 trending topics UP, DOWN and CONSTANT.

Click here to view 100 of the trending topics on Twitter.

"Credit for this post goes to hashtags.org"

You can find more information on Hashtags at our official website Sacramento SEO and Web Development.com

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Benefits of have a Social Media presence

Benefits of have a Social Media presence

Benefits of Social Media presence
Benefits of Social Media

What are the benefits of having a social media presence? There are many pro's to establishing an online presence especially if you run a business or company. If your in school, it's a great way to keep up with friends, & activities happening within your community. If your a business owner, the benefits can be even more rewarding by establishing an online presence you are able to inform your followers on the fly regarding updates on your business.


Social Media and Business owners

The simple fact there is no cost to share a post or tweet thousands (or hundreds of thousands) of people across the world is truly amazing! If you wanted to take it a step further, in most social media outlets there are options that let you use advance advertising tools which will allow users to run a marketing campaign. ( i.e. Facebook Ad campaign or Youtube Commercial Ads)

 In terms of affecting your site's position in the search engine, SEO Specialist advised that you have to both optimize and create great content so that you can be found.

Social Media allows users to broadcast your content out to an extensive variety of readers. Visitors who are interested then visit your page, subscribe, tell their followers, and link to your content . Both Google and Bing give careful consideration to social indicators like this when they choose how to rank websites in the page results.

 The thought is that Social networking is more like a mixed drink party than a professional atmosphere. You will surely make a better impression within a social environment when you choose to be yourself. Social Media is a great approach to show off your business personality, and additional info about you, your staff, place of business & more! . When you develop your business & brand in this way, it's easier for your audience to connect with you and develop loyalty.

Fundraising & having fun

Social Media can be used for more than business, but also connecting with your community for local events! Even today, there are many events taking place mainly online. Fundraisers take advantage of Social Media, The ALS ice bucket challenge ( #alsicebucketchallenge ) is all the rave this month. The ALS Ice bucket Challenge has already generated more than $50 million dollars for it's causes, like the battle against "Lou Gehrig's Disease"

To learn about Social communities on Google plus (+) visit our official website @ Sacramento SEO and Web Development

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Social Media Do's and Dont's

The Do's and Dont's of Social Media

Do's and Dont's of Social Media
The Do's and Don'ts of Social Media

 

According to inquisitr.com Social Media made it's debut in 1969 by the commercial internet server of its time Copuserve. From there, the internet expanded from only the rich & high having access, to today where the internet is accessible to even the low income. It's true, Social Media has come a long way, continuously expanding from just sending emails and connecting with your audience through blogging to instant messaging to creating personal profiles with images & background information on an individual. As Social Media expands so does its use from connecting & maintaining a connection with long lost friends to doing business & even getting involved in a relationship. It seems there are no limits to how Social Media is used in today's society. However, like everything on god's green earth there are pro's and con's and Social Media is no exception. The Do's and Dont's of Social Media can be debated, but for the most part what I'm about to share today can be agreed upon by the majority.


Do's

DO maintain your accounts. Update daily, if possible. (But DON'T update so much that your posts become white noise.)

 DO share articles, videos, blog posts and other content that people in your target industry, or at your target organization(s), will find useful.

 DO promote yourself. Share your accomplishments, articles you've written, professional challenges you've overcome, etc. (But DON'T come across as a braggart. It's a fine line.)

 DO engage your peers, both current and future. Ask and answer questions, join conversations and groups, comment on others' updates, retweet, etc.

DO remember whom you are "talking" to. On Facebook, for example, you are sharing information with everyone that you have added as a friend. On Twitter you are sharing information with everyone… period. Twitter is a public network.

DO check – and be sure you completely understand – privacy settings.

DO present yourself with consistency. "Ensure your LinkedIn profile, Twitter bio and Facebook page show the same job histories and expertise," said Nicholas E. Kinports of innovation agency Maddock Douglas. "Cross-check against your printed resume and personal [business] card[s] – do all materials tell the same story?"

DO "network in fertile soil," said Dale Kramer Cohen, co-founder of IvyLife, a business networking community for Ivy League-affiliated professionals. That is, make sure you are interacting in trusted communities.

Dont's 

DON'T share too much information (TMI), especially information of a personal nature.

DON'T neglect to proofread your social media posts as carefully as you would your resume. "Just as it is important to have a resume free of errors, the same is true of any public writing that an employer may see," said Chris Laggini, vice-president of human resources for DLT Solutions, a value-added reseller of IT products and services. "Do your wall posts on Facebook consistently have spelling errors? The recruiter may see that as carelessness or illiteracy."

DON'T forget that people may have a different sense of humor. "What you may think is funny may sound obnoxious to others," said Karina Goldrajch, CMO and co-founder of GenMobi Technologies.


Please visit Sacramento SEO & Web Development for SEO tips.
The Do's and Don'ts of Social Media reference page theladders.com

Friday, August 15, 2014

SEO Myths from Sacramento SEO Experts

SEO Myths from Sacramento SEO Experts

SEO myth Fact vs Fiction

 

Since the beginning of the Search Engines & SEO, people have speculated & passed along rumors about SEO & how it works. Rumors such as "All you need is to stuff your site with keywords" or "Creating great content is all it takes to draw in a crowd" if only it were this easy. Like many individuals I had to learn the hard way (I'm still learning about SEO) about attracting an audience & what makes boss hog (Google) want to rank my site over the next person. I find it absurd how some people think it's as simple as adding a title tag & including keywords in every line of sentence. Like my business partner says

 " Many web developers say they know SEO, but that is probably a gross overstatement. SEO is very tricky and sophisticated and you have to have a lot of real world experience before you know what actually works and what doesn’t work or may harm your ranking prospects."

While some myths may be true, here are a few that fall under best practices...



It's all about number #1 (ranking #1 on 1st page)
While its true, earning the top spot on Google is the goal it doesn't necessarily mean its end all be all if not attained. In fact, there are many sites that do well occupying second & third positions.

Social Media is Key

Social media is great to have, you can connect with your audience on a level we could not before. However, I would like to point out that everything serves a purpose with strengths and weaknesses and Social media is included. Although Social media will ultimately drive some traffic to your site, it should not be used as a substitute for SEO which is responsible for driving consistent organic traffic.

 Create great content is what it takes (Build it & they will come)

If fell for this once, and never again. Just because you have great content (text/images) on your page doesn't mean people will automatically trip over themselves to read & subscribe to your site. You must share your post with the world in order for people to know you even exist! Share & Share some more!

SEO is a magic wand that brings traffic and conversions!

Sure, you need SEO to generate traffic organically. But SEO is most effective when used simultaneously with Social Media, & Blogging etc. Think of it as "Voltron", the robots are strong individually but when they come together they are an unstoppable force!


Please visit Sacramento SEO & Web Development for more SEO tips.
SEO Myths from Sacramento SEO Experts reference page 10 SEO Myths Debunked by Bing's Duane Forrester

Monday, August 11, 2014

Join Sacramento Google plus Groups!

Join Sacramento Google plus Groups!

 
Sacramento Google Plus Groups

There is no I in team, and being apart of a group in google plus communities can be the best decision you could ever make for your business. Remember when the best form of advertisement was either on the television or the radio? I do. Not only was it expensive to run a promotional ad, you still had to calculate what time was best to capture your audience & figure out statistically how many individuals your message would reach. Thank goodness that's not the case today, now days everything (and I mean everything) can be done online. The internet is the saviour of small business owners & companies alike, not only can you advertise for free, but also reach a wide audience within a short time. We are bombarded with social media sites that allow us to promote & share our businesses on the fly Facebook, Twitter, youtube, & my favorite Google plus (+). Unlike Facebook & Twitter, Google plus is the newest kid on the block with a lot to offer. Don't get me wrong Facebook was great for advertising business, but because of Facebook's recent change in business algorithm many people are seeking an alternative (hence Google Plus).

Be apart of a community

Like most Social Media sites, Google plus allows user to create a personal profile that can be customized to a certain degree. What I like most about Google plus is the fact that anyone can join a community whether it be Health, Entertainment, Sports etc. My favorite is the Sacramento Google plus communities & Sacramento Republic communities, although they are both small I see a lot of potential for growth. Not only that, the individuals currently apart of the community are really nice & interact with one another and that's what being apart of a community is about! Once you join a Google plus community, always be sure to introduce yourself, you never know who might want to connect with you or who's watching.

Check out more blogs from Sacramento SEO & Web Development Enjoy!

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

What is SEO? The short version

What is SEO?


SEO is short for "Search Engine Optimization" It's the process of getting traffic from the "free," "natural," or "organic" ranking on major search engines. All major search engines, for example, Google, Yahoo and Bing contain such results, as website pages and other content like videos & local listings are shown, and ranked based on what the search engine considers most relevant to users. There is no pay requirement, as it is with paid search ads. Find more information about SEO & ranking at Sacramento SEO &Web Development official website.


Work cited (Search Engine Land)